Intercepted (2024) Movie Review: A Haunting Exploration of War

"Intercepted", directed by Oksana Karpovych, is a powerful and chilling documentary that offers an unflinching look at the psychological toll of war. This 2024 film juxtaposes intercepted phone calls between Russian soldiers and their families with haunting images of destruction across Ukraine, creating a sobering portrait of the ongoing conflict. The film provides a unique, intimate glimpse into the minds of the soldiers on the front lines and the devastation they are both witnessing and causing.

The heart of Intercepted lies in the phone conversations recorded by Ukrainian special services between March and November 2022. These calls reveal the raw, conflicted emotions of Russian soldiers, from expressions of fear and doubt to horrifying admissions of cruelty. Some soldiers speak to their loved ones with a sense of despair, revealing how the war has left them disillusioned, while others display chilling dehumanization, casually discussing acts of violence. These conversations provide a stark reminder of how deeply propaganda and misinformation have infiltrated the lives of both the soldiers and their families.

Visually, Karpovych contrasts the intensity of the phone calls with still, quiet scenes of war-torn Ukrainian landscapes. Abandoned buildings, bombed-out vehicles, and ruined homes stand in eerie silence, serving as metaphors for the lives shattered by the conflict. This contrast between the violent content of the phone calls and the serene, ghostly images of destroyed places amplifies the emotional weight of the film, making the viewer pause and reflect on the human cost of war.

By anonymizing both the soldiers and the locations, Intercepted creates a universal narrative that goes beyond individual experiences, showing the devastating consequences of Russia's invasion. While the voices of Ukrainians are not featured in the conversations, their resilience is vividly captured in the visuals, as the documentary highlights not just the destruction, but also the endurance of the people left in the aftermath.

One of the most striking elements of Intercepted is its exploration of how propaganda warps reality. Some of the soldiers' conversations reveal a deep disconnect, as they parrot official talking points about "securing borders" while witnessing or committing atrocities. The film does not offer easy answers but forces the audience to confront the uncomfortable truth about how war dehumanizes both aggressors and victims alike.

In moments of shocking frankness, soldiers describe looting and violence as casually as they might discuss mundane aspects of life. This normalization of horror is what makes Intercepted so compelling and so difficult to watch. It forces viewers to confront the darker aspects of human nature and the devastating impact of state-driven narratives that fuel such brutality.

Intercepted is a heavy and thought-provoking documentary that takes a unique approach to documenting the horrors of war. Its combination of chilling phone conversations and quiet, haunting imagery makes it one of the most impactful films of 2024. The film succeeds in showing not just the devastation of Ukraine but also the psychological scars left on all those involved. It is a stark reminder of the deep costs of war—physical, emotional, and moral.

For anyone interested in exploring the human dimension of conflict, Intercepted is a must-watch, though it is not for the faint of heart. The documentary’s raw portrayal of violence and moral ambiguity offers a rare, unsettling glimpse into the realities of war, and leaves a lasting impression long after the credits roll​.